Our 27 Most Anticipated Movies Of 2024, Ranked
2023 may have been a complicated year for the film industry, but it was a great year for movies. So, hey: No pressure, 2024.
As we sit here in the January doldrums, we can only look at the months and ahead and hope. Will those massively anticipated sequels live up to the hype? Will the latest releases from bona fide masters be worth the wait? Will everything that is supposed to come out this year actually come out this year? The anticipation is killing us.
This is far from a comprehensive list of every intriguing movie hitting theaters in 2024, but it does represent the titles that have the /Film team's attention already. Naturally, we expect dozens of incredible surprises to emerge from out of nowhere, especially as the film festival season starts to kick off. And since we're not psychics (well, most of us aren't), we had to stick to the movies that we know are coming out this year, and with a few key exceptions, every movie on this currently has a confirmed and (hopefully) locked release date.
So join us. Let's count down the 2024 movies we're most excited to see. And let's hope they all deliver the goods.
27. Trap
After the ultra-disappointing "Unbreakable" and "Split" sequel "Glass" in 2019, M. Night Shyamalan got back on a heater with "Old" and "Knock at the Cabin" and he's looking to keep that streak alive with this summer's "Trap." Unfortunately, when it comes to what the movie is actually about, we currently know very little. But what we do know has me excited: Shyamalan has described it as a "psychological thriller set at a concert," and he's working with cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, who shot "Call Me By Your Name" and the "Suspiria" remake from a few years ago.
Perhaps the most exciting element of all, though, is the cast: Josh Hartnett, who has been absolutely killing it lately in things like "Wrath of Man," "Operation Fortune," "Black Mirror," and "Oppenheimer" and is due for a full-blown renaissance, stars alongside Hayley Mills. Yes, that Hayley Mills, from "Pollyanna," the old-school version of "That Darn Cat," and the animated curio "A Troll in Central Park" (where my '90s kids at?). Of course, she's probably best known for starring in the original "The Parent Trap" from 1961, and with Shyamalan's predilection for twists, combined with the fact that this movie is called "Trap," it's not impossible to imagine that this is some sort of delayed legacyquel to "The Parent Trap" where one of the twins is up to something nefarious. Unlikely? Sure. But hey, with Shyalaman keeping the true plot under lock and key, we have to speculate about something!
"Trap" opens on August 2, 2024. (Ben Pearson)
26. The Shrouds
David Cronenberg returned to filmmaking in 2022 with the weird, wonderful "Crimes of the Future," the film that proclaimed "surgery is the new sex." Thankfully, the Canadian body horror auteur shows no signs of slowing down, because he has a new movie on the way — "The Shrouds." Cronenberg originally set this up as a series at Netflix, but the streamer apparently didn't like whatever he was cooking up, so the director reworked it into a movie. The premise, which is said to be inspired by the death of Cronenberg's wife, follows an inventor (Vincent Cassel) who builds a device that allows people to watch their dead loved ones decompose in their graves. Yep, that sounds like a David Cronenberg movie.
Some people were cold on "Crimes of the Future," but I found it to be a top-notch Cronenberg picture, and proof that the filmmaker hasn't lost his stride. I have no doubt "The Shrouds" will be another showcase for Cronenberg's strange, unmistakable style of cinema, one that's bound to confound, amuse, and horrify us all at once.
"The Shrouds" doesn't have a confirmed release date, but it will open in 2024. (Chris Evangelista)
25. Challengers
As one of the first movies that studios unceremoniously bumped from the fall 2023 slate amidst the SAG-AFTRA strike, "Challengers" will finally get the chance to prove it was worth the early hype when it hits theaters in April. The film, Luca Guadagnino's follow-up to "Bones and All," doesn't have to work hard to get our attention: its first trailer captured our nasty little hearts from the moment Zendaya's powerhouse tennis player Tashi casually seduced two best friends, Art ("West Side Story" breakout Mike Faist) and Patrick ("The Crown" alum Josh O'Connor).
Though we expect "Challengers" to have Guadagnino's signature sensuality, it's about a lot more than sex: ambition is the name of the game when, years later, Tashi has been sidelined by an injury and is now working for — and married to — Art. "I'm taking such good care of my little white boys," Zendaya says, an edge in her voice as the action heats up on and off the tennis court. A tennis-related erotic thriller wasn't exactly on anyone's 2024 Bingo card, but Guadagnino has proven his ability to get viewers invested in everything from cannibals to witches to military brats, so "Challengers" is sure to be a singular viewing experience.
Couple the filmmaker's ample talents with the fact that this is somehow his first time working with legend-in-the-making Zendaya, and "Challengers" becomes one of 2024's can't-miss films.
"Challengers" opens on April 26, 2024. (Valerie Ettenhofer)
24. The Wild Robot
"Lilo & Stitch," "How to Train Your Dragon," and "The Croods" co-helmer Chris Sanders saw mixed success with his live-action directing debut in 2020's "The Call of the Wild," a movie that, as Hoai-Tran Bui noted in her review for /Film, "would have been vastly improved by being an entirely animated film." Thankfully, the animation virtuoso is returning to the medium for his follow-up feature, "The Wild Robot." Based on Peter Brown's celebrated 2016 middle-grade book of the same name, the story follows Rozzum Unit 7134 or "Roz," a robot who, in the future, ends up stranded on a deserted island. Bonding with the animals that live there, Roz takes it upon herself to become her furry friends' guardian and help them survive its dangerous environment, even when the company that built her shows up dead-set on bringing her back to civilization.
You can readily see how "The Wild Robot" plays to Sanders' strengths and interests as a storyteller. There's a scientific creation that finds a family while discovering a greater purpose to exist than what it was made for à la "Lilo & Stitch"; friendships forming between vastly different creatures like in "How to Train Your Dragon" and "The Call of the Wild"; and lovable, plucky weirdos banding together in the face of a threatening environment, like the titular cave family in "The Croods." Sanders' animated films are also as visually beautiful as they are funny and touching, which makes "The Wild Robot" one of 2024's early potential contenders for best animated movie of the year.
"The Wild Robot" opens on September 20, 2024. (Sandy Schaefer)
23. Megalopolis
Ready for the return of the king? Francis Ford Coppola is back, baby! Coppola's first film since 2011 is "Megalopolis," and it's a movie he's been trying to make for decades. The "Godfather" helmer started developing the project in the '80s, but he wouldn't get the film off the ground until 2001, at which point he started assembling second-unit footage of New York City. And then the 9/11 attacks happened, and Coppola abandoned the pic. Why? Because the premise involves an architect who sets out to rebuild New York in the wake of a disaster — and making a movie about a destroyed NYC in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 was all but impossible.
Now, Coppola has finally finished his passion project, and he's assembled a staggering cast that includes Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Dustin Hoffman, Giancarlo Esposito, and more. If you're not at least slightly excited over the prospect of a new Coppola movie, then I don't know what to tell you, bud.
"Megalopolis" doesn't have a release date yet, but multiple sources have confirmed a 2024 release date. (Chris Evangelista)
22. The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim
It's been almost 10 years since the last Middle-earth movie, but we are finally set to return to Tolkien's legendarium on the big screen with the 2D anime film "The War of the Rohirrim." From studio Sola Entertainment and the director of "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" comes a film that tells the story of the House of Eorl that once ruled Rohan. Specifically, the film follows Hèra, the daughter of Helm Hammerhand — after whom Helm's Deep is named. Hèra's life is one touched by constant war, and this movie is going to be big on grand-scale battles like the live-action movies. Last year, we saw a preview at Annecy that teased a truly epic high-fantasy film cut from the same cloth as the Peter Jackson movies. Expect plenty of chopped-off arms, fights against oliphants, and much more.
It's rare for a 2D animated movie to get a wide theatrical release, especially one that is based on as popular a franchise as "Lord of the Rings." That makes "War of the Rohirrim" a rare cinematic event worth getting excited about. As I noted during the Annecy presentation, the film looks "fluid, but not uncanny, with realistic and grounded movements and character acting, but clearly the work of animators."
"The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim" opens on December 13, 2024. (Rafael Motamayor)
21. Horizon: An American Saga
2023 was an incredible year for Dad Movies. From "Air" to "Oppenheimer," us older fellas had a lot to chew on when it came to Dudes Rock (and/or Suck) cinema. "Not so fast," says 2024, as "Horizon: An American Saga" peeks over the, er, landscape. A former master of Dad Cinema is behind "Horizon": Kevin Costner, who is not only the star, but the co-writer, producer, and director of the film. Costner hasn't been behind a movie camera since 2003's "Open Range," but if you count "The Postman" as a Western, then Costner has only directed Westerns, beginning with the masterpiece "Dances With Wolves" from 1990. That is to say, this is a genre the filmmaker knows through and through, and it's one that's been sorely under-represented on-screen lately, so hopefully "Horizon" will herald a comeback.
It's certainly primed to be one of the most epic Western films of all time; the cast is insanely stacked, featuring names like Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means (most recently of "Killers of the Flower Moon") and tons more. Set during that classic Western backdrop, the American Civil War, "Horizon" is too much movie for one single film: it's due to be released in two parts, the first arriving in theaters on June 28, the second on August 16. Not much is known about the plot of the films yet, but Costner has said that it will concern the expansion into the American West and all the hardships involved with settling it. As this teaser trailer promises, there's gonna be horse riding and gun shootin' a-plenty. I can't wait to saddle up.
"Horizon" opens on June 28, 2024. (Bill Bria)
20. A Quiet Place: Day One
Nitpick the premise all you want, but the blind monstrous aliens of the "Quiet Place" franchise make for a gold mine of suspense-driven set pieces. The first two movies let us watch as the resourceful characters have to wordlessly figure their way out of one seemingly impossible situation after another. Both movies are brilliant with their sound design, playing around with silence to put us right in the perspective of stand-out character Regan (Millicent Simmons). If she can't hear the monsters behind her, neither can we.
Although Regan won't be a main character in "A Quiet Place: Day One," as the movie follows a separate group of survivors, the continued premise of survival by silence is more than enough to guarantee a fun time at the theaters. The movie stars Lupita Nyong'o from "Us" and Alex Wolff from "Hereditary," two actors who've more than proven they can handle scary material. It's also directed by Michael Sarnoski, the man behind the fascinating 2021 thriller "Pig."
We're also rooting for this movie because "A Quiet Place: Part 2" was another victim of the pandemic box office environment. It was delayed seven months and then released at a time when audiences were still hesitant to go to theaters; it was still a success, but it almost surely would've done a lot better in a normal year. For those wanting the franchise to prove itself beyond a doubt as a reliable cash cow, "Day One" will finally give it its chance.
"A Quiet Place: Day One" opens on June 28, 2024. (Michael Boyle)
19. Joker: Folie à Deux
I have no problem admitting that Todd Phillips' "Joker" was not for me. It was extremely frustrating to feel like the film wanted me to get behind a dominant identity protagonist going postal as a result of systemic failure when marginalized people have been dealing with those same issues for over a century without harming innocent people in the process of "standing up for themselves." Not to mention, the attempt to pay homage to the work of Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy" and "Taxi Driver" came off as too derivative to be enjoyable ... and birthed a new, obnoxious fanbase that made even the most rabid superhero fanboy look like a Precious Moments angel.
That said ... I cannot wait for "Joker: Folie à Deux."
Joaquin Phoenix returns to his Oscar-winning role of Arthur Fleck/Joker with Lady Gaga joining in the role of Harley Quinn. There's been talk of the film being a musical/crime-thriller, which has many speculating that this go-around will be inspired by Scorsese's "New York, New York." Honestly? GOOD. Do something weird and original with the Joker! Make all those obnoxiously toxic jerks have to sit through a musical! You thought that stair scene was the coolest thing in the world? LET'S GIVE IT SOME JAZZ HANDS! Even if I end up disliking the film, I'm excited to see something that genuinely feels unique. The casting of Lady Gaga feels inspired, and I can't wait to see her fully commit the way I know she can.
"Joker: Folie à Deux" opens on October 4, 2024. (BJ Colangelo)
18. Wolf Man
Universal's "Wolf Man" film has taken a zig-zagging path to production, losing and regaining director Leigh Whannell and tapping Christopher Abbott to replace original star Ryan Gosling (Gosling is still producing). While all this behind-the-scenes reshuffling might signify trouble for a less exciting movie, each change to "Wolf Man" has actually been more intriguing than the last.
Currently, the movie is planned as Whannell's follow-up to his first wildly successful Universal reboot, "The Invisible Man," and it's unknown exactly how closely it'll hew to the seminal werewolf film of the same name from 1941. Given the fact that Whannell's feminist spin on that creepy H.G. Wells classic sent shivers down the spines of horror fans to the tune of $144 million at the box office, it seems possible that "Wolf Man" could bring Universal's world of monsters back from the dead.
Abbott's casting is a huge boon for the film, as the talented "Sanctuary," "Possessor," and "Black Bear" actor pretty much always picks delightfully twisted projects — often with a playful psychosexual edge. Plus, last week Variety reported that "Ozark" breakout Julia Garner is set to star opposite Abbott as a mom whose family is threatened by "a lethal predator." Could that predator be Abbott's emotionally fraught, physically cursed, probably hot and scary wolf man? We can only hope so.
"Wolf Man" opens on October 25, 2024. (Valerie Ettenhofer)
17. Drive-Away Dolls
Ethan Coen's latest solo directorial venture is a screwball comedy starring Geraldine Viswanathan and Margaret Qualley as two friends on a road trip from Pennsylvania to Tallahassee, Florida who are accidentally given a rental car reserved for some unnamed criminals and uncover a mysterious briefcase in the trunk. Cowritten by Coen and prolific editor Tricia Cooke (also his wife), "Drive-Away Dolls" was first pitched in the early 2000s. It was officially announced back in 2007 under the title "Drive-Away D*kes" (for the record, I am one, and that title totally kicks ass) and was said to have a similar tone to the romantic exploitation films of the 1970s that Coen fell in love with as a teenager.
Now, over a decade later, the film is finally coming to fruition with Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp, Beanie Feldstein, and Matt Damon rounding out the cast. If the premise wasn't enough to get you on board, perhaps the trailer will do the trick. There's such a distinctly Coen-directed energy to the comedy, pacing, and dialogue in even just a few minutes of the preview. It's been far too long since we've had a solid, comedic road-trip flick about ordinary folks thrown into the middle of a criminal scenario because of someone else's mistake ... and it's been even longer since it's starred women.
"Drive-Away Dolls" opens on February 23, 2024. (BJ Colangelo)
16. Lisa Frankenstein
The last time Diablo Cody penned a high school horror-comedy, the result was the box office misfire turned cult classic "Jennifer's Body." Now, she's finally returning to the arena with her script for "Lisa Frankenstein," a film that has the makings of the next great dark coming-of-age love story. Kathryn Newton, who already has one splendid teen horror-comedy under her belt in the form of the body-swap flick "Freaky," stars in the 1980s-set movie as a goth outcast who finds (or, more accurately, reanimates) the boy of her dreams in a formerly deceased Victorian gent. The latter is played by Cole Sprouse, who may yet become the next "Riverdale" alum to hit it big after "May December" star Charles Melton.
As if the twisted plot or enjoyably bizarre trailers for "Lisa Frankenstein" weren't intriguing enough, the film also marks the feature directorial debut of Zelda Williams, accomplished voice actor and daughter of the late, great Robin Williams. Similar to last year's "Bottoms," it appears as though Williams and Cody are channeling the spirit of older subversive high school movies (including, appropriately, the 1980s cult favorite "Heathers") while also infusing them with a modern yet imaginatively chaotic and outlandish sensibility. With any luck, "Lisa Frankenstein" will prove as strangely loveable as, well, a surprisingly huggable and only slightly murderous walking, grunting corpse.
"Lisa Frankenstein" opens on February 9, 2024. (Sandy Schaefer)
15. Transformers One
While the Transformers may have started out as toys, it was the animated series in the '80s leading up to "Transformers: The Movie" that made the Autobots and Decepticons enduring figures in the pop culture landscape. Yes, Michael Bay's "Transformers" movies were massive blockbusters, but it was animation that made the franchise what it is. Now, things are coming full circle as Paramount Pictures has teamed up with Josh Cooley ("Toy Story 4") for a new animated feature film featuring the robots in disguise. And this time, the action is headed back to Cybertron.
The upcoming film is titled "Transformers One" and it will go back to the earliest days of Optimus Prime and Megatron's relationship before Cybertron was destroyed. The movie also boasts a ridiculous A-list cast led by Chris Hemsworth as Optimus and Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron. That's truly just the tip of the iceberg. This is an origin story that may well kick off a full-on trilogy and it could be just what the series needs. It's a fresh start. If all goes well, this could do for "Transformers" what "Into the Spider-Verse" did for "Spider-Man." Fingers crossed. This could be the movie that fans have waited a very long time to see.
"Transformers One" opens on September 13, 2024. (Ryan Scott)
14. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Following a small town detour in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" that paid tribute to the late Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler, while also introducing a new generation of young Ghostbusters in the form of Egon's grandchildren, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" brings the whole Spengler family back to New York City for a literally chilling new sequel.
After Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) and her kids Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) learned why Egon abandoned his family and friends to fight a paranormal threat brewing in Summerville, Oklahoma, it looks like the Ghostbusters are back up and running in New York City, courtesy of financial backing from the now-wealthy Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson). And the world of the paranormal isn't wasting any time challenging the new team, as the Big Apple faces a sudden wave of deadly winter weather in the middle of summer, including a terrifying new villain in the form of a spirit known as Garraka.
The first "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" trailer provided a compelling tease that promises to deliver the kind of scary family tentpole that studios don't make very often anymore. Original cast members like Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd are back, along with the "Afterlife" addition of Paul Rudd and new characters played by Patton Oswalt and Kumail Nanjiani. And let's not forget the addition of a spud-like ghost named Pukey. Frankly, we're hoping for a little bit more of the Amblin magic that made "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" work (for the most part) without as much forced nostalgia.
"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" opens on March 22, 2024. (Ethan Anderton)
13. Terrifier 3
In 2016, director Damien Leone took his Art the Clown character, previously the star of some short films, and made a whole slasher movie about him. The result was... well, as /Film's Chris Evangelista put it, "crap." But in 2022 Leone tried again, and this time caused a significant stir with "Terrifier 2" — a film that not only showcased his talent for creating nauseatingly realistic practical gore effects but which almost proved too brutal for even seasoned horror fans. What's more, the film expanded the Art lore considerably, making the "Terrifier" universe a much more intriguing prospect for any fan of, well, things that aren't "crap" — and all that on just a $250,000 budget.
Now, having caused global audiences to vomit in their seats with "Terrifier 2," Leone is planning what sounds like a truly bonkers Christman-themed follow-up that promises to somehow take things even further than its predecessor. If nothing else, then, "Terrifier 3" is intriguing because it remains to be seen just how Leone is going to top that horrific Allie death scene from his previous film.
But beyond the promise of more ungodly practical gore effects, "Terrifier 3" is exciting because the franchise as a whole is slowly establishing Art the Clown as a modern slasher icon. Leone combined aspects of his favorite slasher killers to create the murderous harlequin, and with David Howard Thornton's tricksterish performance adding yet another sinister layer to the character, "Terrifier 3" has the potential to cement Art as this generation's Freddy.
"Terrifier 3" opens on October 25, 2024. (Joe Roberts)
12. Deadpool 3
With Ryan Reynolds again suiting up as Marvel's Merc with a Mouth, there was always going to be a certain amount of excitement about "Deadpool 3." But our anticipation got pushed into overdrive when the third installment of the "Deadpool" franchise officially became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the Marvel characters previously owned by 20th Century Studios fell into the hands of Disney. Of course, that's not the only thing that has us eager to see what director Shawn Levy ("Real Steel," "Stranger Things") has in store for us.
"Deadpool 3" is also bringing back Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, the grizzled mutant who was the backbone of the "X-Men" film franchise for years. The movie will have Deadpool and Wolverine forced to team up for some reason, and if the early set photos are any indicator, this "Deadpool" sequel will be packed with even more meta gags tied to the legacy of Marvel Comics characters who were given movies under the 20th Century Fox banner, ranging from "X-Men" to "Fantastic Four" (and maybe even "Daredevil" and "Elektra"). There have been rumblings about a variety of cameos from previous Marvel movie stars from the Fox side of comic book adaptations, but none have been confirmed.
Aside from the overall implications that come from being officially tied to the MCU, the "Deadpool" movies always pack an endless array of raunchy jokes that make the Marvel movie formula feel a little less predictable. So we hope "Deadpool" can shake up the superhero slump that Hollywood seems to be in right now.
"Deadpool 3" opens on July 26, 2024. (Ethan Anderton)
11. Fede Álvarez's Alien Sequel
The "Alien" franchise has been dormant for a while, after 2017's underrated (but underperforming) "Alien: Covenant." However, the b*tch is back in 2024, awakening from its slumber like a chest-burster exploding from a poor schmuck's torso.
The currently untitled "Alien" film (believed to be called "Alien: Romulus") will be following in the footsteps of "Prey," the 2022 "Predator" standalone spin-off — except, thankfully, this one is opening in theaters before hitting Hulu. But even beyond that wise decision, there's much to be excited about for "Alien" fans.
The film stars Cailee Spaeny ("Priscilla"), joining the lineage of badass women who've led this franchise, starting of course with Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley. Speaking to Variety in November 2023, Spaney confirmed this new film is set between the 1979 original and James Cameron's sequel, 1986's "Aliens," the movie that turned this story into a franchise. In fact, according to Spaeney, "The same people who built those xenomorphs [from Cameron's "Aliens"] actually came on and built ours."
Director Fede Álvarez is a protégé of Sam Raimi who directed the 2013 "Evil Dead" remake — if Jane Levy's performance in that one is any hint, I'm very excited to see how he turns Spaeny into a final girl. He followed that up with 2016's "Don't Breathe," about teen burglars evading their blind would-be-victim (Stephen Lang). The original "Alien" is a haunted house movie set in space, so "Don't Breathe" makes me think Álvarez can reconjure that magic.
The currently untitled "Alien" sequel opens on August 16, 2024. (Devin Meenan)
10. Civil War
I know, I know: It's an election year, and no one wants to dwell on how divided and awful the country is right now. I totally get it, and if people want to completely opt out of seeing a movie called "Civil War," I understand that impulse. But hear me out: Alex Garland is the writer/director behind this, and he's one of the most interesting storytellers working right now. "Ex Machina" and "Annihilation" were absolute bangers, and 2022's "Men" was a huge swing that didn't quite connect but was bursting with fascinating ideas. If nothing else, "Civil War" should be a smarter, more thoughtful exploration of this subject matter than dismissive haters are predicting. And even if it's as subtle as a sledgehammer, society has proven that subtlety basically no longer exists in this political era, so maybe we need a good sledgehammer every once in a while.
Kirsten Dunst, Nick Offerman, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Jesse Plemons lead the cast here — a great group to guide us through this dark satire. While the trailer admittedly made my stomach drop a little because some of it seems sickeningly plausible, Garland has made enough great stuff (he also wrote "28 Days Later," "Sunshine," "Never Let Me Go," and "Dredd") that he's earned my attention. Plus, this project seems to mark A24's first foray into larger-budgeted movies intended to expand that distributor beyond its current comfort zone, and this film's success or failure could have a significant impact on how that terrific brand evolves in the years ahead. This won't be the most fun movie of 2024, but in retrospect, it may end up being one of the most essential.
"Civil War" opens on April 12, 2024. (Ben Pearson)
9. Inside Out 2
Nearly 10 years after the original release of Pixar's "Inside Out" brought viewers inside the mind and anthropomorphized emotions of 11-year-old Riley as she navigated the challenges of moving, "Inside Out 2" ventures into a far more angsty period of girlhood: the teenage years. Meg LeFauve, one of the screenwriters of the first film, returns to craft the screenplay independently, while Kelsey Mann, the storyboard supervisor of "Monsters University," directs his inaugural feature film.
"Inside Out 2" welcomes the vibrant voice talents who fully embodied their emotional characters: Amy Poehler as Joy, Lewis Black as Anger, and Phyllis Smith as Sadness. Liza Lapria and Tony Hale are replacing Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader as Disgust and Fear. As the teaser trailer soundtrack of Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" indicates, Riley's new age of 13 promises a more intense emotional journey. This sequel is especially exciting because we will be introduced to all new emotions, one of which is the frazzled, orange-haired Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke. What other wild adolescent emotions are going to take charge at Headquarters? We'll have to wait until June to see! With potential teenage themes like crushes and the desire for popularity, "Inside Out 2" is sure to provide witty humor and insight into this very tumultuous period of girlhood.
"Inside Out 2" opens on June 14, 2024. (Caroline Madden)
8. Love Lies Bleeding
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Kristen Stewart is one of the most interesting actors working right now. I know there's a contingent of people who seem only to know her from the "Twilight" films, and therefore think of her as a bad performer. But she's evolved so much since then and has built a career taking on challenging, complicated, quirky roles that showcase her considerable abilities. Now she's teamed up with Rose Glass, the director of the criminally underseen horror flick "Saint Maud." In "Love Lies Bleeding," Stewart plays a gym manager who falls in love with a bodybuilder, played by "The Mandalorian" co-star Katy O'Brian. Their love story ends up leading to violence and murder, which, as you might guess, complicates things.
"Love Lies Bleeding" comes from the fine folks at A24, and I think it's fair to say they have a pretty good track record at this point. You know what you're getting when you sit down to watch an A24-released film, and what you're usually getting is pretty darn good. Everything about this project excites me, and I can't wait to see what Glass and company have cooked up here.
"Love Lies Bleeding" opens on March 8, 2024. (Chris Evangelista)
7. Gladiator 2
Ridley Scott can't stop, won't stop making movies. And don't you dare think he's slacking off when he makes a sequel. It may not rise to the height of its predecessor, but "Hannibal" is a boldly vicious departure from Jonathan Demme's "The Silence of the Lambs." And while moviegoers remain mixed on "Prometheus" and "Alien: Covenant," these are two of the most thematically challenging event films made at a major studio since the turn of the millennium.
Scott began developing "Gladiator 2" the same year the original won the Oscar for Best Picture, and the project has flirted with some fascinating premises. Scott ultimately chose a more conventional narrative that centers on Lucius (Paul Mescal), the now adult nephew of the despicable Roman Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who was slain by the warrior Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the conclusion of the first film. Phoenix and Crowe aren't returning for obvious reasons, but Scott has rounded up a stellar ensemble led by Denzel Washington, whose character owns a stable of gladiators. Good guy or bad guy or somewhere in between? Hard to say! We do know Connie Nielsen will return as Commodus' mother Lucilla, while the great Derek Jacobi will once again play Senator Gracchus. The wild card here is Pedro Pascal. He's a bigger star than Mescal at the moment. Is there enough movie here for those two and a superstar in Washington to share? Do we really have to wait until November to find out?
"Gladiator 2" opens on November 22, 2024. (Jeremy Smith)
6. The Fall Guy
David Leitch and Kelly McCormick's 87North Productions is fast becoming Hollywood's biggest action movie production company, joining the ranks of Carolco and Cannon Films from yesteryear (a goal McCormick told me in 2022 was entirely intentional). Their next big entry into the action canon is "The Fall Guy," directed by Leitch and starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. All three have a pretty excellent action film pedigree at this point: Leitch with "John Wick," "Deadpool 2" and "Atomic Blonde," Gosling with "Drive" and "The Nice Guys," and Blunt with "Edge of Tomorrow" and "Sicario."
Even if those names weren't enough to entice you, the film's premise — a movie stuntman getting wrapped up in a real life-or-death situation when he tries to track down his film's missing star — is based on the '80s TV show of the same name, starring Lee Majors. The original "The Fall Guy" felt highly reminiscent of Hal Needham's "Hooper" (starring Burt Reynolds), chronicling the on- and off-screen life of a stuntman, and Leitch's film feels very Needham-esque judging from the first trailer that's been released. Worst-case scenario, this movie is a pleasant throwback to the '90s/'00s trend of big-screen TV show adaptations. Best-case scenario, it's an action fan's dream: Gosling's self-deprecating physical comedy (and impressive physique)! Blunt's witty charm! Leitch and his stunt team's rock-solid fight choreography and practical stuntwork! If you're somehow not excited for "The Fall Guy," then you'd best get out of the unknown stuntman's way.
"Fall Guy" opens on May 3, 2024. (Bill Bria)
5. Mickey 17
It has been a little over three years since Bong Joon-ho won several Oscars for "Parasite," and this year, the South Korean auteur will grace us with his much-awaited science-fiction thriller "Mickey 17." Robert Pattinson, who has proven himself to be a dynamic performer over the years — having starred in gems like "The Lighthouse," "Good Time," and Matt Reeves' "The Batman," to name a few — will be playing the titular Mickey 17, an "expendable" sent on a colonizing mission to the ice planet Niflheim. Bong Joon-ho's adaptation is based on Edward Ashton's novel, "Mickey7," which weaves profound philosophy with standard sci-tropes to create a riveting story about a clone forced to live out through cruel cycles of creation and destruction on a loop mimicking near-immortality.
As Bong Joon-ho will be introducing considerable changes to Ashton's narrative, one can expect scathing commentary on hypercapitalistic consumerism within a futuristic setting, along with other artistic flourishes that the director is known well for. Apart from Pattinson, the cast for the film includes Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, and Naomi Ackie, among others. The film's premise, which dives into the ethics of cloning and the mechanics of uploaded consciousness, coupled with the stacked cast, elevates "Mickey 17" into something positively promising. Moreover, "Mickey 17" is expected to adorn a sci-fi tint that is much different from Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer," thus paving the path for an experience that could be uniquely thrilling and riveting.
The release date for "Mickey 17" is currently flux. We will update when the new date is confirmed. (Debopriyaa Dutta)
4. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Hollywood has tried to reboot/revive near-countless franchises over the last 20 years. It often feels needless at best. At worst, it feels like the worst sensibilities of the business coming to fruition. But with 2011's "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," a classic sci-fi franchise was reimagined with stunning results. The ensuing sequels, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and "War for the Planet of the Apes," were even better. Now, years after the fall of Caesar, Disney is reviving the series once again with a new sequel, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."
Directed by Wes Ball ("The Maze Runner"), we are once again going to meet a new cast filled with apes who are now even more advanced, with far more distance from humanity being the dominant form of life on Earth. Based on the trailer alone, it's apparent that Ball is picking up right where Matt Reeves left off. At the same time, he's clearly got his own unique vision for where this series can go that looks just as compelling as what came before. "Planet of the Apes" has earned its reputation as one of sci-fi's truly great franchises. This entry looks to keep that legacy going. Apes together strong, as it were.
"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" opens on May 10, 2024. (Ryan Scott)
3. Nosferatu
F.W. Munau's 1922 horror classic "Nosferatu" was famously sued by Bram Stoker's widow over copyright infringement. Murnau changed the proper names from Stoker's novel "Dracula," but the story and the characters are almost 100% the same. Stoker's estate ordered that every copy of "Nosferatu" be destroyed. Luckily, some copies survived, and Murnau's film might be considered one of the best horror movies ever made. Unique to Murnau's version of "Dracula" was the rat-like appearance of Count Orlok (Max Schreck). Unlike the suave, aristocratic charmer played by Bela Lugosi in 1931, the 1922 version of Dracula was a terrifying being seemingly infused with filth and disease. Murnau's film is a glorious, granular nightmare.
"Nosferatu" was famously remade in 1972 by Werner Herzog, who cast the maniacal Klaus Kinski as the vampire, and who shot in Czechoslovakia. That film wanted to highlight Murnau's film as a new German national epic, capturing the dreamlike qualities of the original, but presenting them in a somnambulistic fashion. "Nosferatu, the Vampyre" is also excellent.
One might also count E. Elias Merhige's "Shadow of the Vampire" with the remakes, as it's about the production of Murnau's film. John Malkovich played Murnau, and Willem Dafoe played Schreck. "Shadow," however, posits that Schreck was actually a real vampire that Murnau hired for his production. It's pretty brilliant.
Less well-known is David Lee Fisher's remake starring Doug Jones, a film that had been in production for years, but didn't premiere until 2023 at the Novi Film Festival.
And, coming in 2024, we'll have the honor of witnessing Robert Eggers taking a swing at the classic. Eggers previously made muddy, dreamy, psychologically dense films like "The Witch" and "The Lighthouse," so he seems particularly well-suited to the material. It will scare you, he claims. I cannot wait.
"Nosferatu" opens on December 25, 2024. (Witney Seibold)
2. Dune: Part Two
Director Denis Villeneuve's first "Dune" film in 2021 was a resounding success, effectively introducing viewers to the harsh desert world of Arrakis while still staying true enough to the source material to keep the hardcore "Dune" fans happy. Timothée Chalamet proved himself to be a stellar casting choice as young, stoic Paul Atreides, and Villeneuve proved beyond a doubt that his sci-fi successes with "Arrival" and "Blade Runner 2049" were hardly just flukes. "Dune" might be a notoriously difficult book to adapt, but so far they've made it look easy.
The second movie promises even more excitement: Not only will stars like Florence Pugh and Austin Butler be playing intriguing new roles, but it'll be adapting a section of the book that is even stranger and more groundbreaking than what we've seen before. The back half of Frank Herbert's '60s sci-fi novel goes to some truly weird places, and it's gonna be fascinating to see if Villeneuve can pull it off.
Heating up the anticipation is just how much time Dune fans have spent waiting for this movie. Not only was the first film delayed a year due to the pandemic, but "Part Two" has already been delayed six months thanks to the writers' strikes. Will it be delayed yet again due to some other unexpected catastrophe? At this point, we've learned not to count on anything. Until we're actually seated in theaters, "Dune" fans won't breathe easy.
"Dune: Part Two" opens on March 1, 2024. (Michael Boyle)
1. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Nine years after not just roaring back to form, but delivering arguably a career-best with his post-apocalyptic masterpiece "Mad Max: Fury Road," director George Miller will once again rampage through the Wasteland with the series' first official prequel, and, perhaps most intriguingly, first installment to veer away from its title character's hard-driving exploits. This time out, Anya Taylor-Joy will take the wheel as a younger version of Furiosa, the protagonist originated in the previous entry by Charlize Theron. She'll be joined by Chris Hemsworth, who's getting in on the hot-dudes-with-prosthetic-noses craze as Biker Horde leader Warlord Dementus.
The bracing teaser trailer promises nothing short of an "odyssey" wherein Furiosa, who was abducted as a child from the Green Place of Many Mothers, will take on all comers as she fights her way back home. If you were worried the 78-year-old Miller might've lost a little velocity on his action-crafting fastball, the teaser showcases a wide, wild array of inventively staged vehicular mayhem. Cars and trucks and dune buggies and anything else you can slap an engine into will go crash-bang-boom in the classic "Mad Max" tradition. We're obviously stoked to see Taylor-Joy make a bid for action hero immortality, but Hemsworth's scuzzy heel turn looks like a scene-stealer's delight. The teaser concludes with Dementus asking Furiosa "Do you have it in you to make it epic?" With Miller back behind the camera, we're shoving all our chips in on this being one of summer 2024's biggest and best films.
"Furiosa" opens on May 24, 2024. (Jeremy Smith)
How this list was created
This list was created by building a master list of 2024 movie titles that interested the entire /Film team. From there, the list was trimmed down to 25 titles that received the most interest, but then expanded to 27 when everyone realized there were few movies that simply couldn't not be on the list. Once the titles were locked, the ranking was determined via editorial discussion, with the most weight given to the movies that generated the most interest in the nominating process.